OPINION National emblem ... kangaroo. Photo: Rob Gunstone During this time of celebration for all things Australian, we are being urged to eat our national emblem in the name of patriotism. Over recent weeks, sporting shooters clubs and the commercial kangaroo industry have launched promotions urging Australians to put kangaroo on the barbecue this Australia Day, as the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia says, to “celebrate your country and respect its environment this January 26” by eating an Australian icon, the kangaroo. While these promotions certainly celebrate the kangaroo as a meal option, what they neglect to mention are the very serious welfare and health concerns about the methods used to bring kangaroos from the bush to supermarket shelves. On the menu ... kangaroo. Photo: Supplied The fact is that, despite popular rhetoric that kangaroos are killed instantly and that the industry is heavily regulated, this could not be further from the truth. …Read More

COMMENT We care: Vets treat a kangaroo for burns from a bushfire. Photo: Pat Scala When it comes to kangaroos, we are a nation divided. The tragic bushfires that struck Victoria and South Australia this month inspired an outpouring of support for our kangaroos and other wildlife caught up in the blaze. …Read More